Havoc's Divide
by Follow-The-Firefly
Summary: Deidara never really got over Sasori's death and Tobi wasn't going to make things any easier. Rated T for Teen. COMPLETE
1. Brink of Dispair

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

**It's another story fro mMika-chan! In case you haven't noticed, but i hope you did, this story is called Havoc's Divide. For those who play Kingdom Hearts, this should sound familiar to you. I don't but my friend got me into it when i went over to her house to play it. And i thought the name Havoc's divide would make for a good fanfiction title. I will be using other parts from the World That Never Was as chapter titles. It sound cool to me that way. That's a lot about Kingdom Hearts, so...let the deadly tale begin!**

Deidara walked through the grass, trying to get back to the Akatsuki hideout before nightfall. He didn't know if his partner, Sasori, had won his fight against Sakura and his grandmother. _He had to win. He hasn't lost a battle since joining Akatsuki. _The blonde haired ninja could see a steep cliff up ahead. He had made it. Once he arrived at the cliff, he jumped off the cliff and onto the water below. Standing in front of the giant bolder guarding the Akatsuki hideout, Deidara made a hand sign and the bolder was lifted. Walking inside the hideout, Deidara saw the other members of Akatsuki, looking very somber.

"What's going on? Where's Sasori?" Deidara asked, looking around for his partner.

No one said anything for a few seconds. Then Konan finally said, "Sasori's dead, Deidara."

"What are you talking about?" Deidara questioned, "How could he die?"

"We don't know the full details yet. We found his body here. He was stabbed in the only part of him that was human; his heart." Pein said.

"So he's gone?" Deidara couldn't believe what he was hearing.

How could Sasori die? It just didn't seem possible.

"Pein, have you found a replacement?" Konan asked.

"Zetsu did." Pein said.

"Who is he?" Itachi asked.

"His name is Tobi." Pein said.

"You've already replaced Sasori-Danna, hmm?" Deidara questioned.

"You need a new partner, Deidara." Kisame said.

"I know that, Kisame." Deidara said, "Where is he?"

"I think he's asleep in Sasori's old room."

Deidara walked into Sasori's old room. Sitting on what was once Sasori's bed was a boy. Deidara couldn't see his face because it was obscured by an orange mask with an eyehole so he could see.

"I guess you're Tobi, hmm?" Deidara assumed.

"Yep!" Tobi exclaimed.

Deidara rolled his eyes. He could tell that he wouldn't like this new member. He was far too energetic. He could never take Sasori-Danna's place.

"Are you Deidara-senpai?" Tobi asked.

"Just Deidara." Deidara said, "Don't call me Senpai."

"Why not?" Tobi cocked his head in a confused manner.

"I just don't like it, ok?" Deidara didn't feel like talking right now.

"Then what am I supposed to call you?" Tobi asked.

"Just Deidara." Deidara said, "When did you get here?"

"A while ago." Tobi said.

"Well, I need to fix my eyepiece, so don't bug me, hmm." Deidara walked out of the room that was once Sasori's and into his own room. After putting new clay in their pouches, Deidara took off his eyepiece and set it on the table. It felt weird being able to see with both of his normal eyes. _Maybe I should just leave it off._ Deidara took out his screwdriver and started to work on the mechanical eye when someone knocked on the door. The door creaked a bit as it opened and Kisame stepped into the room.

"Deidara, Konan wants to know if you want chicken or shrimp with your steak." He said.

"Eh…I'll take shrimp, hmm." Deidara said.

"Has anyone told you that you look better with both of your regular eyes?" Kisame asked.

"Sasori-Danna." Deidara said.

"Oh, and Tobi wants to know if he can watch you." Kisame asked.

"No." Deidara said flatly.

* * *

"Are you sure Tobi was a good choice?"

Itachi, Hidan and Kisame were sitting at the kitchen table. Konan and Pein were fixing dinner: steak with shrimp and chicken. Hidan had his head on his arms on the table, trying desperately to stay awake. His mission with Kakuzu was exhausting.

"I guess so. We need someone to take Sasori's place and Tobi was available." Pein said.

"Are you going to make it to dinner, Hidan?" Konan smiled, looking over at the silver-haired ninja.

Hidan lifted his head off the table a little bit and said, "I'll be fine, Konan."

"What were you guys doing?" Itachi asked.

"Killing the leader from the Mist Village." Hidan said, "I was chasing him for about 2 hours before we began fighting."

"How long were you actually fighting?" Kisame asked.

"Not very long." Hidan said, "Thank Jashin-sama for that."

"Are you too tired to pray?" Kisame asked.

Hidan nodded, too tired to say anything.

"We have a problem." Itachi said jokingly, "Hidan's too tired to pray."

"Very funny, Itachi." Hidan said.

"Back to the subject of Tobi, I think he'll be fine." Pein said.

"Deidara doesn't seem to like him much." Konan said, adding spices to the chicken.

"He replaced his partner, what do you expect?" Pein searched the freezer for shrimp.

"I never thought the two of them would actually go for it." Kisame said, leaning back in his chair, "Sasori seemed too serious for that."

"Deidara's gonna be pretty upset for a while, so take it easy, ok?" Pein said, "That means you too, Hidan."

"I hear ya." Hidan said, closing his purple eyes once again.

* * *

Back in his room, Deidara had just finished fixing his eyepiece when someone knocked on the door.

"What?" Deidara sighed.

The door opened and Tobi stepped in, saying, "Can I come in?"

Deidara sighed and said, "You will anyway, hmm."

Tobi closed the door and looked around Deidara's room. He didn't have a bookshelf in his room like many of the other Akatsuki members. Instead, he had a bomb exploding area. The floor of this area was charred black from the numerous explosions. The walls were black with red splotches that looked like they were thrown on the wall. There was a closet in one corner of the room by the exploding area. Tobi assumed this was where Deidara stored the explosive clay that Zetsu had told him about. There was a worktable by a small window that had several tools on it as well as Deidara's mechanical eye, trained to combat eye techniques. There was a bed by the table that looked like it had never been made before.

"What do you want, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"I was bored." Tobi said.

"So you come in here and bug me?" Deidara questioned, turning back to his mechanical eye, making sure that everything was correct.

"Why do you wear that?" Tobi asked, watching Deidara over his shoulder.

"It would take too long to explain, hmm." Deidara said, "Ask Itachi. I'm sure he's happy to tell everyone how I got in Akatsuki, hmm."

"Why do you add hmm at the end of your sentences?" Tobi asked.

"I don't know. I just do, hmm." Deidara said, "It's like a habit."

To Tobi, Deidara seemed slightly dejected. Well, his partner had just died. And from what Itachi had told him, Deidara and his partner were more than just partners, but Itachi didn't say how. What did he mean?

"Do you know when dinner is?" Deidara asked.

"I dunno." Tobi said, "Konan and leader were working on it a few minutes ago."

"Is Zetsu still here, hmm?" Deidara asked, "I want to know what they did with Danna's body."

"They buried it." Tobi said.

"Where?"

"Under a tree outside by the cliff."

Deidara nodded. He made a mental note to visit Sasori's grave later. He walked out of his room and into the living room.

"Don't you need your eye thing?" Tobi asked.

"I can see fine without it, hmm." Deidara said.

They joined everyone else in the kitchen.

"What's up?" Konan asked.

"I've been better." Deidara said, "But not as bad as Hidan, from what I see."

"Shut it, Deidara." Said Hidan in a tired voice.

"Kisame, we should get going." Itachi said.

"Where are you going?" Tobi asked.

"Scroll retrieval." Kisame said, "We'll be back sometime next week."

"Good luck, guys." Konan said.

Itachi nodded and followed his partner out of the cave. Tobi and Deidara took their places at the table.

"Is Zetsu still around?" Deidara asked.

"He left a while ago." Pein said, "He has to get some scrolls, too."

"Sounds like a blast." Hidan said, putting his head on his chin so he could talk.

"Where's Kakuzu?" Tobi asked.

"Asleep." Hidan said, "Like I wish I could be."

"You know if you sleep now, you won't be able to sleep later." Konan said, mixing the shrimp and the chicken in the skillet.

"I know." Hidan said, "It's a load of shit."

"What are we doing tomorrow, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"I'm giving you and Tobi some time to get used to each other." Pein said.

"Sounds good to me." Deidara said, slouching in his chair.

"Dinner's almost ready." Konan announced, "Who wants to wake Kakuzu?"

"I'll get him." Hidan said.

He stood up and walked into his partner's room.

"It's actually better if Hidan wakes him." Konan said, taking some plates out of the cabinets and setting them on the table.

"Why's that?" Tobi asked.

"Well…let's say that if anyone besides Hidan wakes him up, they won't be here much longer." Pein said.

"It's a good thing that Hidan's immortal, hmm." Deidara said, taking forks out of a drawer and placing them on the table.

"Nearly immortal, Deidara." Pein reminded him.

"Oh yeah." Deidara said, "Does anyone besides me want green tea?"

"I want sake."

Hidan came back into the room, yawning.

"Where's Kakuzu?" Pein questioned.

"He said he ate when he got home." Hidan said, taking a glass out of the cabinet, "He's too tired to eat today."

"That must've been some mission." Konan said, "Kakuzu's too tired to eat and you look like you could fall asleep any minute."

"Shut it, Konan." Hidan said, yawning.

Konan brought the food over to the table, putting separate spoons in the shrimp, steak and chicken.

"Does anyone want soy sauce?" Pein asked.

"I'm fine." Tobi said.

"Hidan, you're not going to pray before dinner, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Too tired." Hidan said, "I caused enough mayhem that it won't matter."

Deidara rolled his eyes and started on his dinner. Tobi watched each of the Akatsuki members carefully. He wanted to make sure that he didn't get on anyone's bad side.

"Deidara, where's your eyescope?" Pein questioned. "I left it out, hmm." Deidara said, "I only really need it when Itachi's here."

"Why don't you leave it out?" Hidan asked, "Isn't it a pain in the ass?"

Deidara shrugged. "Not really. It's really useful in fights."

"Whatever you say, Deidara." Konan said.

"Do we have any missions tomorrow?" Hidan asked, taking a drink from his sake.

"Nope." Pein said, "It looks like you guys could use a day off, too."

"I'll be fine once I get some sleep." Hidan said.

"What are we doing, senpai?" Tobi asked Deidara.

"What did I tell you about calling me that?" Deidara hissed.

"I'm sorry. I'm used to calling everyone senpai." Tobi said.

"Even if they're younger than you, hmm?" Deidara raised his eyebrows.

"No." Tobi said, "So what are we doing tomorrow?"

"_I _will making works of art." Deidara said.

"Here he goes again…" Konan, Pein and Hidan said as one.

Tobi looked at them in confusion, "What?"

"He says that all the time…" Hidan sighed.

"I don't get it." Tobi frowned.

"You will, kid." Pein said, "You just need to be around Deidara for a while."

"Maybe not that long, Pein." Konan said.

"Well, I'm going to bed." Hidan said, finishing his sake and putting his dishes in the dishwasher.

"I won't bug you." Deidara said, "I know how you get when you're mad, hmm."

"You should know." Hidan said darkly.

He walked off to his room. Once he had shut the door, Tobi asked, "What does he do when he gets mad?"

"He starts riots." Pein said calmly, like he was discussing the weather.

"Riots?" Tobi frowned.

"Well, not actual riots." Konan explained, "He just yells really loudly and throws things."

"And people." Deidara cringed.

"What?" Tobi questioned.

"When he first got here, Deidara had the brilliant idea of waking up Hidan after a mission." Konan said, like he was telling a fairy tale to a toddler.

"Konan, do you have to bring it up?" Deidara sighed, obviously not wanting to talk about the subject at hand.

"Yes, Deidara, I do." Konan said. She turned back to Tobi and said, "I was watching TV with Itachi and Kakuzu in the living room. The next thing I knew, Deidara was flying out of Hidan's room and smashed the TV."

"That hurt, hmm." Deidara said.

"I bet Hidan was pissed." Tobi said.

"Oh yeah." Pein said, "Konan, I'm gonna be reviewing the scrolls."

"Why are you telling me?" Konan asked her partner.

"Just letting you know." Pein said, walking off to his room.

Deidara went back to his room, closing the door behind him. Somehow, his thoughts fell on Sasori. Why did he have to die? He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye…

**It saddens me, but Sasori won't be in this. -tear- hope you guys like it!**

**Next chapter: Deidara and Tobi have a sparring match. who wins?**


	2. Nothing's Call

**Disclaimer: Do I really need to say it?**

**It's Mika-chan! Sorry for the long wait. I have a bunch of fanfictions I'm working on adn essays galore. It's a pain in the ass. Let the chappie continue!**

When Deidara woke up in the morning, he found Tobi in his room, examining his worktable.

"What are you doing?" Deidara demanded.

Tobi faced Deidara and said, "I was looking around."

"Didn't I tell you yesterday that you can't come in here, hmm?" Deidara hissed, getting out of bed.

Tobi thought for a minute before saying, "I don't think so."

"Well, I'm saying it now." Deidara was obviously annoyed, "You don't come in here for any reason, hmm. Got it?"

"Yes." Tobi had a feeling that he wasn't going to last very long with Deidara as his partner. After leaving, he found Hidan and Kakuzu in the kitchen.

"Deidara yelled at you, huh?" Hidan assumed.

"Why does he seem to hate me so much?" Tobi sat down at the island with the other two.

"He doesn't." Kakuzu said.

"He just misses Sasori, that's all." Hidan said.

"Was that his partner?" Tobi assumed.

The silver-haired ninja nodded.

"Itachi-san said that they were more than partners." Tobi said, "What did he mean?"

"Itachi always says things he shouldn't." Kakuzu said, "If you want to know, ask Deidara."

"He'd kill me." Tobi said.

"Give him time to get used to things." Hidan said, "He was very close to Sasori."

"I guess I can see what you mean." Tobi said.

"No, you don't." Kakuzu said, "You won't understand until Deidara tells you. And you might not understand even then.

* * *

Deidara tied his hair back in its usual high ponytail. He shouldn't have yelled at Tobi. How could he know how he felt about Sasori? Just thinking about him made Deidara feel like he was dying. He missed Sasori so much. He shook these thoughts from his head. Deidara walked out to the main area of the hideout and into the kitchen where he saw Hidan and Kakuzu talking to Tobi.

"What's up, Deidara?" Kakuzu asked.

Deidara shrugged noncommittally.

"Not much, I guess, hmm." He said, looking for something to eat in the fridge.

"Are you guys gonna train today?" Kakuzu asked.

"I don't feel like training today." Deidara said, "I don't really feel like doing anything today."

Hidan looked uncertainly at Kakuzu. They knew why Deidara was feeling so miserable, but did he want Tobi to know why? Hidan had a feeling that Deidara wouldn't be the same for a while.

"Deidara, you left your eyepiece out." He pointed out.

"I'm gonna put it back in later." Deidara said, heating up some shrimp from the fridge.

"Leave it out for a while, Deidara." Kakuzu said.

"Why make it if I'm not gonna wear it, hmm?" Deidara pointed out.

"What are we doing today?" Tobi asked eagerly.

"I don't feel like doing anything." Deidara said.

"You don't want to blow stuff up?" Kakuzu raised his eyebrows, not daring to believe what he was hearing.

"Not really." Deidara said.

"Kakuzu, we have a problem." Hidan said, "Deidara doesn't want to blow stuff up."

"It's not funny, Hidan." Deidara snapped.

"I'm not saying it was." Hidan said, not wanting to start an argument.

The microwave started beeping, announcing that Deidara's shrimp was finished. He walked over to the microwave and took his shrimp out. After grabbing a pair of chopsticks, he joined the others at the island.

"Seriously, Deidara, Sasori's moved on." Kakuzu said, "He's in a world filled with other human puppets like himself."

"He was a puppet?" Tobi cocked his head in confusion.

"He turned himself into a human puppet." Deidara explained, "But I wish he were here with me, hmm. We were supposed to have a death match in Shougi when he got back.

"You can have a death match with Itachi." Hidan suggested.

"I'll play with anyone but Itachi," Deidara said, swallowing a bit of shrimp.

"I wouldn't play with Itachi either." Kakuzu nodded, "He cheats."

"How?" the newest member wanted to know.

"He uses his Sharingan to confuse you." Hidan said.

"That's mean." Tobi said.

"This isn't a nice group of people, Tobi." Deidara said.

"I know that." Tobi said.

"I'll be praying, so don't bug me." Hidan said.

He left the others and walked into his room. Kakuzu rolled his eyes and went off to his room, probably to read something.

"That's one thing you don't do, Tobi." Deidara said, "Never, and I mean _never, _bother Hidan when he's praying, hmm."

"Why?" Tobi wanted to know.

"The last time I interrupted him, I was knocked unconscious for 2 days." Deidara said, "Get it?"

Tobi nodded.

"Seriously, senpai, what are we doing?" he asked.

Deidara cringed at being called 'senpai', but said, "I really don't feel like doing anything."

"What are your works of art?" Tobi asked.

Itachi had told him that Deidara got very excited whenever someone mentioned his 'works of art'. But Deidara's voice didn't change when he said, "Explosions."

"Itachi-san said something about clay." Tobi said.

"My explosive clay, hmm." Deidara said, "You won't stop bugging me until I show you, huh?"

Tobi nodded. Deidara sighed and said, "Fine. Let's go outside. Hidan will murder me in my sleep if he hears me, hmm."

After finishing up his shrimp, Deidara led Tobi outside. Standing on the water, Deidara stood a few feet away from Tobi. Deidara put his left hand in his clay pouch at his side. After ingesting some explosive clay, he took out his hand. After a few minutes, the mouth in the center of his palm produced 2 small birds. Deidara threw them in the air, made a hand sign and yelled, "Katsu!" The birds exploded, causing a nearby tree to catch on fire.

"Deafening." Tobi commented.

"That was fun, hmm." Deidara smiled.

He created a few more bombs and exploded them, Tobi sitting on the cliff and watching. What was the connection between Deidara and his partner? Were they close friends? That would explain Deidara's behaviour. But it seemed a little deeper to the new Akatsuki member.

**Sorry it was so short. I really wanted to update this. Hope you guys are enjoying it!**

**Next chapter: Deidara and Tobi head out on a new mission.**


	3. Proof of Existence

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto or Akatsuki.**

**It's Mika-chan!! Sorry for the long wait. I have a lot of school work to do. I'll probably be updating Incognito tomorrow. I'm almost done the next chapter. I think...on with the story!**

When Deidara woke up the next morning, Tobi wasn't in his room like the previous day. Sighing, Deidara got out of bed and walked into the living room where he saw Hidan on the couch watching TV.

"What's up, Hidan?" Deidara yawned.

"Not much." Hidan looked over at Deidara from behind the couch.

Deidara sat down on the couch next to Hidan and asked, "What are we watching, hmm?"

"Commercials." Hidan said, "I'm waiting for Kakuzu to wake up so we can go on this mission."

"Where are you guys going?" Deidara asked, yawning again.

"The Waterfall Village." Hidan said.

"Isn't Kakuzu from the Waterfall Village, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Yep." Hidan said.'

"Won't that be a problem though?" Deidara frowned, "I know whenever I go back to Iwa, a riot always breaks out."

"Kakuzu didn't burn down the village." Hidan smiled.

"Good point, hmm." Deidara said, shrugging.

Someone's bedroom door opened and Tobi walked out into the living room.

"Good morning, Senpai!" He exclaimed.

"Tobi, what did I say about calling me senpai?" Deidara sighed.

"It's a habit." Tobi bounded across the room to sit in the purple and green striped recliner.

"Like you adding hmm to every other sentence is a habit, Deidara." Hidan said, "And it's an annoying habit." The silver haired ninja turned his attention to the newest member, "Tobi, is Kakuzu awake?"

"How should I know?" Tobi shrugged.

"Aren't your rooms connected?"

"Nope. I think Konan filled in the gap." Tobi said.

"I wonder why she'd do that, hmm?" Deidara frowned, "I was connected to your room for a while, wasn't I Hidan?"

"Yeah." The silver haired ninja nodded, "Until I blocked it."

"Now I'm all alone." Deidara said.

"Poor you." Hidan said in mock concern.

"Hidan, did you tell him about our mission?" Tobi asked.

"We have a mission, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Yep." Tobi said, "Hidan-san, you were supposed to tell him!"

"Sorry, kid." Hidan shrugged.

"We're supposed to go to the Sound Village and try to find Orochimaru." Tobi said.

"I thought we had given up trying to find him?" Deidara frowned.

"We did." Hidan said, "We need to find out what he's doing."

"Oh, I see." Deidara said.

He turned to Tobi and asked, "When are we leaving?"

"I think we should be leaving now." Tobi said.

"I'll get ready then." Deidara said, walking back into his room, closing the door behind him.

Hidan leaned his head against the back of the couch and said, "I wish I could just wake Kakuzu up."

"Why don't you?" Tobi asked.

"I don't really feel like it." Hidan said. "That and the fact that Kakuzu would kill me if I did."

"He wouldn't really kill you, would he?" Tobi asked.

"Probably." Hidan shrugged.

Deidara came out of his room a few minutes later.

"Ready, Tobi?" Deidara asked.

"Yep yep!" Tobi said eagerly.

Deidara rolled his eyes and followed Tobi out of the cave.

"Tobi, do we have any idea where Orochimaru is, hmm?" he asked his happy-go-lucky partner.

"I think we should check the Sound Village first." Tobi said.

"Why's that?" Deidara wondered.

"That's his village isn't it?" Tobi asked.

"Oro was from Konoha, but he created the Sound Village." Deidara said.

"He wouldn't go back to Konoha, would he?" Tobi questioned.

"How in hell should I know?" Deidara shrugged. "Besides, we're supposed to find info on him, not bring him back, hmm."

"Why are we looking for Orochimaru?" Tobi asked, "Was he in Akatsuki?"

"Orochimaru was Sasori's partner before I came." Deidara said. "Sasori-Danna didn't have a partner when I joined, hmm."

Tobi nodded. He could tell that Deidara didn't really want to talk about Sasori, so he changed the subject slightly.

"So he left?"

"He just got tired of being in Akatsuki." Deidara replied, "I guess it was different than he thought it was." He looked at Tobi and said, "Didn't Leader tell you this?"

"He said that you'd tell me." Tobi said. "So where should we start, Senpai?"

"Let's try the Sound Village, hmm." Deidara said, ignoring the fact that Tobi had called him Senpai again.

"Sounds good to me." Tobi said.

* * *

After going to the Sound Village and finding nothing on Orochimaru, Deidara and Tobi decided to try Konoha. It was decided that Deidara would create a diversion while Tobi went to find the info. Deidara was standing on top of a giant clay bird that he had created, dropping bombs on the city. He was having a hard time concentrating.

He couldn't help but think of the time when he and Sasori were on a mission in the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Deidara's bomb had caused several miles of buildings to catch on fire. Sasori simply couldn't believe that a bomb could do so much damage. The bombs Deidara was exploding now weren't that big, but he still remembered the mission. Deidara had to swerve a couple of times to avoid the arrows the villagers were throwing at him.

It was about 20 minutes after Deidara started the riot when he noticed Tobi standing on the ground below him. Deidara lowered the bird, allowing Tobi to jump on, and flew away. After they were a few miles away from Konoha, they jumped off the bird and it vanished.

"I'm not used to not bringing a body back, hmm." Deidara said, feeling nostalgic.

"Why would you bring a body back?" Tobi asked.

"Danna used to use bodies for puppets." Deidara explained.

"For puppets?" Tobi was confused. "For models?"

"No. For the actual puppet, hmm." Deidara said.

"I don't get it." Tobi was still confused.

"Sasori used humans for puppets, hmm." Deidara said.

"Yeah. I still don't get it." Tobi said.

"Danna would turn the bodies into puppets." Deidara was wondering how to explain this to Tobi, since he had no knowledge of puppets himself. "He would then use the puppets to attack."

"Oh!" Tobi jumped up and down, "I think I get it now!"

"I don't know a lot about puppets, hmm." Deidara admitted. "All I know is how to create works of art."

"Hey, Senpai, can we talk about something else?" Tobi asked.

"Why?" Deidara looked at his partner.

"Because I don't wanna talk about works of art." Tobi replied.

* * *

Pein and Konan were in the middle of the desert somewhere close to Suna. They had successfully completed their mission of retrieving the scrolls about Orochimaru. Pein had known that Deidara wouldn't want to go back to the Village Hidden in the Sand for a while, so he decided to go with Konan instead. He was lying on the ground, hands behind his head, staring at the midnight black sky when Konan asked, "Do you think Deidara and Tobi found anything on Orochimaru?"

"I dunno, Konan." Pein shrugged, eyes still looking upward, "Deidara always finds something. It may not be what he's looking for, but it's always something important."

"You really don't like Tobi, do you?"

Pein looked over at his blue haired partner. Her eyes were looking him over, as if she was trying to see through him.

"Why wouldn't I like Tobi?" the Akatsuki leader questioned.

"Well…he's not the sort of person you'd usually use to replace Sasori with." Konan said.

"We can never replace Akasuna no Sasori." Pein said, turning his attention back to the sky. "I think Tobi will be fine."

"I guess so." Konan shrugged. "He certainly seems attached to Deidara."

"And Deidara can't stand him." Pein added. "I don't know if Deidara will ever get used to Tobi now that Sasori's dead."

"He'll get used to him." Konan assured him. "He misses Sasori, that's all."

"And he knows that he's not going to come back." Pein sat up and pulled his knees towards his chest. "I hope he snaps out of this soon."

"He'll be fine." Konan said. "You know how close Deidara and Sasori were."

"_This _is why I was having second thoughts about letting the two of them get together." The Akatsuki leader said. "If one of them died, then the other would be miserable."

"You didn't seem to think that when _we _were going out." Konan said.

"That's because I could tell when things were going a certain way." Pein said. "I wouldn't be able to tell with the two of them."

"I think we'd be able to know, Pein." Konan said. "They'd start acting differently. Especially Deidara."

"And we all know how he can get." Pein said.

"Does Tobi know about Deidara's relationship with Sasori?" Konan asked.

"I didn't tell him." Pein said, "I think Itachi said he was going to say something, but I don't think he has yet."

"I think Deidara should be the one to tell him." Konan said.

"Why Deidara?" Pein asked, "Does it really make a difference?"

"If Tobi finds out from Hidan or Zetsu or anyone besides Deidara, he'll only hear their side." Konan said.

"As opposed to…?" Pein raised his eyebrows.

"As opposed to hearing it from Deidara's prospective." Konan concluded.

"I don't care who tells him as long as someone tells him." Pein lay back down on the sand again. "If Tobi doesn't find out, and if Deidara doesn't talk about Sasori's death, something's gonna happen."

**Next chapter: Tobi and Deidara arrive back at the hideout.**


	4. Alley to Between

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto or Akatsuki.**

**It's Mika-chan! I'm heading out to Game Stop today to pick up a copy of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories! Can you tell I'm excited! Hidan is pretty OOC in this chappie. Enjoy!**

Hidan and Kakuzu were in the living room, hanging out. The silver haired ninja was cleaning his scythe with bleach again. Kakuzu was eating some sushi on the couch while watching TV. His eyes were moving in and out of focus as he attempted to watch the game show.

"For the love of Jashin-sama, Kakuzu! If it's too boring, don't watch it!"

Kakuzu faced his partner, eyes slowly focusing again.

"But there's nothing else to do."

"Dei and Tobi are supposed to be coming back today." Hidan said, dipping his cleaning rag in bleach and rubbing it on his scythe. "It's gonna get loud again."

"When are Leader-sama and Konan getting back?" Kakuzu asked, turning of the TV and placing the remote on the coffee table.

"Today."

"Maybe Leader-sama will have a talk with Deidara." Hidan said, twisting the cap on the small crimson bleach bottle.

"It would do Deidara some good." Kakuzu said, stretching his arms out in front of him as far as they would go. "He's been so depressed lately."

"Well, why wouldn't he be?" Hidan shrugged, playing with his necklace. "I'd be pretty upset if Itachi died."

"I don't think you and Itachi are on the same level of your relationship that Deidara and Sasori were." Kakuzu said, leaning back on the couch, trying to relax.

"We just started going out last week." Hidan smiled, obviously happy with his relationship.

"Sure," Kakuzu rolled his eyes. "So why did I find you two making out in the bathroom last Monday? You started going out on Thursday."

Hidan grinned sheepishly. He was spared from answering by the entry of Tobi and Deidara. Tobi placed the scrolls he had retrieved on the table and joined Deidara, Tobi and Hidan in the living room. Hidan couldn't help but notice that Deidara looked somewhat exhausted. Maybe even a little depressed. Was he still thinking about Sasori's death?

"How did the mission go?" Hidan asked, clearly glad for an opportunity to change the subject.

"We got the scrolls, Hidan-san!" Tobi exclaimed happily.

"Leader-sama's gonna like that." Kakuzu said.

"What were you guys talking about?" Tobi asked.

"Guess what Hidan did while you guys were gone?" Kakuzu asked.

"You don't need to tell them that." Hidan said, blushing a little.

"What could make Hidan blush?" Deidara looked very amused at this prospect.

"He asked out Itachi." Kakuzu said. "And Itachi said yes."

Tobi gasped and said "Really?"

"He asked me." Hidan said, smiling.

"So you guys are going for it, hmm?" Deidara queried.

Hidan nodded, still smiling. Deidara couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Hidan had found the person that he wanted to be with. Sasori was his, but he was gone. He wasn't coming back.

"Dei, are you ok?"

"Yeah." Deidara shook his head, coming back to reality.

Tobi looked at his partner suspiciously. Kakuzu and Hidan eyed each other worriedly. Kakuzu changed the subject by saying, "How about some dinner?"

"What time is it, hmm?" Deidara asked, twisting a strand of his blonde hair on his left index finger.

"Almost 7." Hidan said.

"What do we have?" Tobi asked, getting off the couch and bounding to the fridge.

"I made some shrimp last night." Hidan said.

"Hidan's shrimp is really good, hmm." Deidara told his partner.

"Really?" Tobi asked, rooting through the fridge for food.

"You make some good yakiniku, Deidara." Kakuzu said.

"I burned it the last time, hmm." Deidara said.

"It was still good." Hidan said, "You know I like burnt food anyway."

"You're always the odd one, Hidan." Kakuzu smiled.

"I'll have some of this ramen." Tobi said.

"No!" Deidara, Hidan and Kakuzu yelled.

Tobi looked at his fellow members in confusion.

"What's wrong with it?"

"That's Leader's ramen, Tobi." Deidara told his partner.

"What's wrong with it?" Tobi asked.

Deidara, Kakuzu and Hidan looked at one another.

"Let's just say that Leader-sama isn't the best cook in the world." Hidan said.

"He makes onigiri taste bad." Kakuzu added.

Deidara got up off the couch and started toward the small kitchen.

"When is Zetsu getting back?" He asked.

"Sometime today." Hidan said.

"I need to talk to him, hmm." Deidara said, opening various cupboards in search of food.

"About what?" Hidan asked.

"Where he buried Sasori no Danna." Deidara said.

"He's out on the cliff under the tree." Kakuzu said.

"That close?" Deidara felt relieved to know that Sasori's body wasn't that far away.

"You can go visit him." Tobi said.

"I think I will." Deidara said. He turned to Tobi and said, "Wanna come along, hmm?"

"Do you mind?" Tobi asked.

"I don't care." Deidara said.

"I'll go." Tobi nodded.

He followed Deidara out of the cave, leaving Kakuzu and Hidan alone.

"Deidara really needs to talk about it." Kakuzu said.

"But who can he talk to?" Hidan leaned against the wall. "Sasori was the only one he was really close to."

"He gets along pretty well with you." Kakuzu said. "Whenever you're not in a foul mood."

"That's more often than not." Hidan grinned. "You talk to him."

"Why me?" Kakuzu asked.

"Because it was your idea." Hidan closed his amethyst eyes.

"How about Kisame?" Kakuzu asked, "They get along pretty well, don't they?"

"Sometimes." Hidan's eyes were still closed, "Just don't get Itachi to talk to him. You know how those two are."

"They hate each other with a passion." Kakuzu said, "Come on, Hidan! Just talk to him. What's so hard about that?"

"I'm not good at talking to people." Hidan opened his eyes and faced his partner.

"It's not that hard." Kakuzu said, getting off the couch in search of some sake.

"Then you do it." Hidan followed his partner into the kitchen for something to eat.

"Let's see if Tobi will do it." Kakuzu said.

"That's not such a good idea." Hidan warned.

"What isn't?"

Kisame and Itachi came back into the cave. Kisame went into his room, probably to put Sharkskin away while Itachi joined the other two at the island.

"Letting Tobi talk to Dei about Sasori." Hidan said.

"Tobi never knew Sasori." Itachi said, Sharingan eyes looking around the room.

"That's another reason why, Kakuzu." Hidan said.

"What brought this on?" The Uchiha asked.

"Kakuzu told Tobi and Deidara that we started going out and Deidara got depressed." Hidan said.

"How can you tell?" Kakuzu questioned. "He's been acting depressed off and on for a while."

"What he needs is to blow stuff up." Itachi said. "That always makes him feel better."

"He doesn't feel like blowing stuff up." Hidan said, resting his head on Itachi's shoulder. "You know something's bad when Dei doesn't want to blow stuff up."

"He'll get over it." Itachi said. "Sasori felt kinda depressed when Oro left, remember? He got over it."

"Oro and Sasori weren't in love, Itachi." Kakuzu said.

"That would be pretty scary." Hidan shivered.

"What would?"

Deidara and Tobi came back into the cave. Deidara looked a little better than he did when he left.

"If Oro and Sasori were in love." Kakuzu smiled.

"That's gross, Kakuzu, hmm." Deidara pulled a face.

"Tell me about it." Itachi said. He looked at Hidan, who was rubbing his head against his neck and said, "Hidan, I didn't know you could be this affectionate."

"I can be a lot of things." Hidan said, lifting his head off of Itachi. "I just choose to not do a lot of them."

Itachi smiled, something he didn't do very often.

"What are you eating, Tobi?" Deidara asked.

"Shrimp. Do you want some?" Tobi asked.

"Sure." Deidara said.

Tobi placed his shrimp in the microwave and turned it on.

"I'm gonna go sleep." Kakuzu said.

"It's a little early for you, Kakuzu." Hidan said.

"I'm tired." Kakuzu said.

He went into his room with a glass of sake and closed the door behind him. Hidan got a glass of green tea and joined the rest.

"I wanna pray, but it's getting late."

"By the time you finish praying, Hidan, it'll be 4 in the morning." Deidara said.

"That's why." Hidan said.

"Can't you shorten it?" Tobi asked.

"Jashin-sama wouldn't like that." Hidan said. "And I want to meet death someday."

Tobi looked at Deidara and Itachi uncertainly, seeing what they would do. But Itachi and Deidara acted like Hidan said things like this all the time.

"You'll meet death, Hidan, hmm." Deidara said as Tobi took his shrimp out of the microwave and put Deidara's in and turned it on.

"I certainly hope so." Hidan said, leaning on Itachi.

"Not now, Hidan." The Uchiha smiled.

"Why not?" Hidan whined.

"Because I said so." Itachi rolled his eyes, still smiling.

"I don't think I've ever seen Itachi-san smile before." Tobi said.

"This is a first for me too." Deidara said.

"I smile sometimes." Itachi looked perplexed.

"No you don't, Itachi." Hidan said.

"You and Hidan are kinda alike." Deidara said. "Both of you curse, but Hidan curses a lot more, hmm. You both kinda freak everyone else out."

"I don't freak people out!" Hidan protested. He turned to the newest Akatsuki member and asked, "Tobi, when you first met me, did I freak you out?"

"A little." Tobi said honestly.

"See?" Deidara smiled a little as he went to get his heated shrimp from the microwave and returned to the island.

Hidan scowled and leaned back against Itachi, who looked at him with Sharingan eyes and said, "What did I just tell you, Hidan?"

"You said 'not now'." Hidan said, looking up at Itachi.

"So we wait until later." Itachi said. "Wait until everyone's asleep."

"But I don't want to wait until everyone's asleep." Hidan wasn't acting like his usual self.

"You'll have to." Itachi said.

"Thanks for putting that image in my head, Hidan, hmm." Deidara had squeezed his eye shut, trying to block out the lewd image.

"I don't get it." Tobi cocked his head in a confused manner.

"Think it over." Itachi said.

"Don't, Tobi." Deidara said, opening his eye again.

"Why not?" Tobi asked.

"It's what I used to do with Sasori, but with Itachi and Hidan, hmm." Deidara said.

"Thanks for putting _that _image in my head, Deidara." Hidan stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"Sorry." Deidara smiled.

"What now?" Tobi asked.

"When I'm done, I'm planning on working on this eyepiece." Deidara said, swallowing a piece of shrimp.

"Just take it out, Dei." Deidara had no idea why Hidan was using pet names all of a sudden. "Sasori always said you looked better when it wasn't in." He leaned against his chair and said, "I don't think I've seen you without it before."

"Yes you have." Itachi said. "Right after Tobi got here, remember?"

"Oh yeah."

"Well, I think I'm going to bed." Hidan said.

"Wait up for me, ok?" Itachi said.

Hidan smiled and proceeded to his room, closing the door behind him. Itachi stared at the door to Hidan's room for a minute before saying, "I guess I'll go join him."

"Try not to be so loud, hmm." Deidara said.

"I don't know about that." Itachi smiled, walking off to Hidan's room, leaving Tobi and Deidara.

Deidara scowled and put his dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

"I'm gonna attempt to sleep." Deidara said.

"Good luck with that." Tobi said.

Deidara nodded and walked into his bedroom, closing his door behind him. After taking off his ninja band, Deidara took his shoes and clock off, hanging his cloak on the peg by the door. Deidara looked at his reflection in the mirror, deciding if he should take off his mechanical eye. Pressing his hand to his face, he slowly removed the mechanical eye and revealed his original silver-grey eye. Sasori had always said that Deidara looked better without the false eye.

Deidara walked over to his bed, feeling the coarse dirt under his feet. Sitting down on his bed, he thought about how Sasori would feel about Tobi. No doubt Sasori wouldn't like Tobi. Tobi was too annoying. Sighing, Deidara closed his eyes and fell asleep.

**I never imagined Hidan and Itachi getting together, but it fit so well. Wasn't Hidan pretty OOC? Review please!**

**Next chapter: Zetsu decides it's time for some official rules for Akatsuki**


	5. Hall of Empty Melodies

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Akatsuki or Naruto.**

**It's Mika-chan! I know I just updated Sasori's Secret, but I wanted to work on this. I just got Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and I just got through Destiny Islands and I'm fighting Riku. Again. I'm gladt hat Axel killed Vexen. He was so annoying! Anyway, I'm talking KH too much. If you wanna talk KH, just message me. I'm almost done with my KH story, but I had to make a few major changes. Just read the chapter!!!**

When Deidara woke up the next morning, he listened like he usually did in the morning for sounds of anyone out in the living room. He did this longer today to make sure that Itachi and Hidan weren't doing something vulgar. Getting out of bed, he put on his Anti-Iwa ninja headband and cloak and walked out of his room and into the living room. Only Hidan was in the living room, cleaning his scythe.

"Did you have fun last night?" Deidara asked.

"Yep." Hidan smiled.

"I trust Itachi enjoyed it?" Deidara assumed.

"Yep." Hidan repeated, dipping his cleaning rag in the bleach.

"What are we gonna do today, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"I dunno." Hidan shrugged. "Leader and Konan should be getting back today."

"What does that have to do with anything?" the blonde asked.

"Just thought I should bring it up." Hidan said.

"Where has Zetsu been?" Deidara asked.

"Wherever Zetsu goes, I guess." Hidan said. "He somehow contacted Leader and told him that he was going to be late, but he was going to be back today."

"I guess he'd need to tell Leader, hmm." Deidara said.

At that moment, the cave was engulfed with light as the bolder was opened. Zetsu walked inside, lowering the bolder behind him. He set a set of magenta scrolls on the counter and joined Deidara and Hidan in the living room.

"I guess you got the scrolls, Zetsu?" Deidara asked.

"Yep." The white side replied.

"We obviously did." The black side said. "What do you think we brought back?"

"No need to get offended, Zetsu." Hidan said.

"Where is everyone?" Zetsu's light side asked.

"Leader and Konan are still gone, hmm." Deidara said. "Everyone else is here."

Zetsu nodded and walked off to his room. Hidan and Deidara looked at each and Deidara said, "I don't like talking to Zetsu."

"Because he has two sides that talk?" Hidan assumed, twisting the cap back on the small bottle of bleach.

"Exactly." Deidara shivered. "I never know if what I'm saying could anger one side of him, hmm."

"It makes it complicated." Hidan said.

Yawning, Deidara followed Hidan over to the kitchen. He took out a bowl, spoon and a box of cereal. Sitting down at the island, the blonde poured some cereal into a bowl and started eating.

"Do you think it's too early to drink sakè?" Hidan asked.

"I don't drink sakè." Deidara replied.

"I'll settle for some tea, then." Hidan said.

He got a bottle of tea from the fridge, along with a bowl of rice. After retrieving a pair of chopsticks, he joined Deidara at the island.

"What time is it?" Deidara asked.

"Almost 10." Hidan replied.

"I slept that late?" Deidara never slept in late.

"I was going to wake you up, but I didn't think you'd like it." Hidan said, breaking apart his chopsticks.

"I wish you had, hmm." Deidara said.

"Whatever." Hidan shrugged, starting to eat his rice.

"You like bland rice?" Deidara frowned.

"I always have." Hidan said.

A door slammed shut and Deidara looked toward the living room to find that Tobi was awake. He joined Hidan and Deidara at the island after grabbing some leftover chicken.

"Everyone's sleeping late!" Hidan exclaimed.

"I didn't." Tobi said.

"Then why haven't I seen you before now?" Hidan questioned.

"I just didn't feel like eating." Tobi said.

"Right…" Hidan rolled his violet eyes toward the ceiling.

"Than what were you doing until now, hmm?" Deidara challenged.

"I was reading." Tobi said.

"Whatever you say, Tobi." Hidan sighed.

Deidara finished his cereal and went in his room to relax. No sooner had he leaned against the headboard of his bed than he realized that he had nothing to do. Sighing, the blonde walked around the room a few times. He wanted to play Shougi with someone. There was no way that he would play with Itachi. And Hidan would probably kill him if he even asked. Looking at his hands, he realized that the bright purple nail polish was chipping off. Rolling his eyes, he retrieved a small jar of purple nail polish from his desk. He then realized that he would have to take off the remaining nail polish so it would look even. "Who really cares what my nails look like, hmm?" But he grabbed some cotton balls and a bottle of nail polish remover and sat down on his bed, removing the nail polish.

As he was removing the current coat of nail polish, Deidara's mind fell on the time that he had first joined Akatsuki. Sasori had told a very annoyed Deidara that he had to wear nail polish. The blonde had protested, not wanting to wear something that was so feminine. Deidara had never understood why Sasori wore green nail polish while the other members wore purple.

_That was so long ago._ Deidara waved his hands dry, trying to ignore the strong smell of nail polish remover in the room. He knew that Hidan would be complaining about getting a headache later, but Deidara didn't really care. When he was sure that his nails were dry, he proceeded to painting his left hand. Carefully, he dipped the small brush into the jar of purple nail polish. Gently moving the brush on his left small finger, he covered it with purple nail polish. Sighing, the blonde proceeded to the next finger. After painting the nails on his left hand, he removed his ring and started to paint the nails on his right hand.

After painting his nails, he gently slid his ring back on his right index finger. "Well, that took up some time." Deidara put the cotton balls back in a drawer in his desk and put the nail polish and nail polish remover back where they were. He looked around the room, examining the bare walls. "I really need to put something on these walls, hmm." He opened his closet where he stored his exploding clay and searched for some paper and painting equipment. He found several large sheets of white paper from the time when Kakuzu was trying to liven up his room. He also found some brushes and green, red, black and blue paint. He carried the paint supplies over to a spot on the floor and sat down, thinking of what to paint. He couldn't draw very well, in his opinion. The other members thought he could draw pretty well. The blonde decided to write words in their original characters.

He dipped the paintbrush in the jar of blue paint and set the tip of the brush on the paper, thinking of what to write. Then he wrote his favourite saying in characters: art is a bang. After drawing a picture of an explosion, he set the poster aside to dry. He spent an hour and a half writing words on paper and drawing pictures that went with them. After putting on a second coat of nail polish, Deidara walked out to the main area of the hideout. This time, everyone, with the exception of Pein and Konan, was eating lunch.

"What have you been doing, Dei?" Kisame asked.

"Painting my nails and making posters." Deidara said.

"Posters of what?" Zetsu's white side asked.

"Random stuff, hmm." Deidara replied. "What's for lunch?"

"Itachi's making something." Kakuzu said.

"What is it?" Deidara asked.

"Chicken." The Uchiha replied lazily.

"Can I see your posters, Senpai?" Tobi asked.

"They aren't dry yet, Tobi." Deidara said, "They don't look the greatest."

"You always say what a bad artist you are, Deidara." Hidan said.

"And I am." Deidara said. "I can't draw like Konan, hmm."

"She's better with people." Kisame said. "You draw landscapes better."

"Itachi, is lunch almost ready?" Hidan asked the Uchiha.

"Not yet, Hidan." Itachi said.

"It's taking forever." Hidan sighed. "Can't you use your fire jutsu and make it go faster?"

"You know I can't, Hidan!" Itachi exclaimed, annoyed.

"Why not?" the violet eyed ninja demanded.

"I can't make small fires." Itachi said, "It just doesn't work that way."

Hidan scowled and fell silent. Deidara leaned against the wall, feeling that things might be going back to normal.

**Yeah. What i said was going to happen this chapter will most likely happen next chapter. That is if i don't add anything else. Review, please!**

**Next chapter: Rules! Rules! Rules!**


	6. Fragment Crossing

**Disclaimer: Must I say it?**

**It's Mika-chan! I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it, too. Let the deadly tale continue!**

"We need a set of rules."

Konan, Pein, Tobi, Hidan and Kisame were at the kitchen table, finishing lunch. Kisame was just getting up to take a shower and Tobi wanted to play Shougi with Itachi, but they could see that they would have to wait.

"What brought this on?" Kisame asked, taking a drink of sakè.

"Everything's been crazy since Orochimaru left. The idiot." Pein added in an annoyed voice.

"So we're making a set of rules because…?" Hidan raised his eyebrows.

"Because, Hidan, we need some order." Pein said. "Go get your partners."

Hidan scowled, but followed Tobi and Kisame. Tobi returned first, dragging a very annoyed Deidara out of his room. The blonde was holding a clay bird that everyone present assumed was active.

"Don't you dare explode that, Deidara." Pein said threateningly.

"I won't, hmm." Deidara said. "Not now, anyway." He wrenched himself free from Tobi's death grip and said, "So what's this all about?"

"We're coming up with a new set of rules." Pein informed the former Iwa ninja.

"Did we even have first set?" the blonde furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"Not really." Konan said.

Itachi and Kisame joined the group, followed by Hidan and Kakuzu. It looked like Hidan had awakened Kakuzu because the Jashinist was covered in small cuts and scrapes. Kakuzu was protesting while Hidan brought him over to the group.

"Kakuzu, please refrain from killing Hidan." Pein said in a calm voice.

"What's this all about?" Kakuzu demanded, obviously annoyed that his sleep had been interrupted.

"As I was just telling Deidara, we're making a set of rules." Pein said.

"What for?" Itachi asked.

"Things have been getting too hectic." Zetsu's white side replied.

"They have not." Zetsu's dark side challenged.

"Yes, they have." The other side said.

"Zetsu, please keep your sides from arguing." Pein said.

The two sides of Zetsu were silenced. Pein continued by saying, "Does anyone have any suggestions?"

"Deidara isn't allowed to leave active bombs laying around." Hidan said at once, glaring at the Akatsuki bomb expert.

"It was your fault you stepped on it, hmm." Deidara glared right back at Hidan.

"Right that one down, Itachi." Pein said.

"Why me?" the Uchiha demanded as he grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper.

"You have the nicest handwriting." Pein answered.

After writing Hidan's suggestion down, Itachi looked at Pein, waiting for another rule that was waiting to be written.

"No interrupting Hidan's praying sessions." Deidara said.

Pein nodded at Itachi, who began writing down the next rule.

"Everyone must report to me when a mission is completed and describe what happened." The leader nodded once.

After Itachi finished writing Pein's rule down, he said, "How about…no eating other members?"

"Ya hear that, Zetsu?" Kakuzu smiled.

"That wasn't my fault, ok?" Zetsu's black side snapped back.

"Go ahead, Itachi."

After the Uchiha wrote his rule down, he looked at the group with Sharingan eyes, waiting for another rule.

"No flooding the bathroom." Kakuzu said.

"That's just common sense." Hidan said, leaning against Itachi's shoulder.

"I guess Kisame doesn't have very much common sense." The stitched-ninja replied.

"I like water…" Kisame said innocently.

"But don't flood the bathroom, Kisame." Konan said, who had remained silent until this point.

"No informing outsiders of the hideout's location." Zetsu's light side suggested after Itachi had written down the previous rule.

"Or anything Akatsuki related." Deidara added.

"All financial matters must be handled with Kakuzu." Konan suggested, making an origami rose.

"Or me." Pein said. "If I'm the leader, I get a say in what's going on money-wise."

After Itachi wrote down Konan's suggestion, he asked, "Any others?"

"No cooking in the kitchen after dinner." Tobi suggested.

"That's for you, Konan." Hidan clarified.

"That wasn't my fault!" Konan exclaimed.

"You didn't mean to set the stove on fire?" Kakuzu raised his eyebrows.

"No, Kakuzu, I didn't." Konan snapped.

"Any others?" Itachi asked, writing down Tobi's idea.

"All members should know where their partner is and be ready to assist them in trouble, hmm." Deidara said.

Itachi nodded once and wrote down Deidara's rule.

"Anything else?" Pein asked.

"I don't think so." Tobi said.

"Ok then. Itachi, rewrite those on a bigger sheet of paper and post them somewhere." Pein ordered.

"Why do I have to rewrite them?" the Uchiha challenged.

"So we can post them somewhere." Deidara said, stroking his clay bird.

"That will require Hidan to get off me." Itachi said, more to Hidan than anyone else.

Hidan scowled, but lifted his head from Itachi's shoulder. Itachi proceeded to getting a larger sheet of paper and rewriting the rules.

"What now?" Zetsu's white side asked.

"Now we go about our business." Pein said. "I guess I should tell you guys about your missions now."

"That would be helpful, Pein." Konan smiled.

"Zetsu, you are to take Kisame and go kill the leader of the Hidden Rock Village." Pein said.

"Why Kisame?" Itachi asked, "Why can't I go?"

"You were going to go, Itachi." Pein explained, "But you can't go on any missions because of your injury."

Itachi scowled. On their mission 2 weeks ago, Itachi and Kisame had gotten into an unexpected fight in the Cloud Village. Itachi had to combine the Sharingan with the Phoenix Flower Jutsu. This was a great strain on his eyes and couldn't see for a day or two. Kisame or Hidan had to lead him around to do everything. Even though he could now see, the Uchiha was still unable to fight due to other injuries sustained from the battle, like a wound from a sword being stabbed into his chest.

"And Deidara obviously can't go." Kisame said needlessly.

"I'll end up starting a riot." Deidara smiled.

"So I'll be staying here while Kisame has all the fun." Itachi didn't sound pleased at all.

"Itachi, I told you not to use the Sharingan for a while." Kakuzu said, "You don't want to strain your eyes too much."

Itachi scowled and his eyes faded to their original coal black.

"Konan and I have to go to the Tea Village again." Pein said. "Other than that, that's it."

There was the sound of chairs scraping backward as the 9 members left the kitchen table. Kisame and Zetsu left for their mission while Deidara went back to his room to finish exploding bombs. Tobi had been watching Deidara throughout the meeting. When Deidara had suggested the rule about knowing where their partner was at all times, he noticed that the blonde ninja looked sad. What had happened to Deidara's partner?

**Review, please!**

**Next chapter: who makes Deidara talk about Tobi?**


	7. Addled Impasse

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto or Akatsuki. I would love to, but I don't.**

**It's Mika-chan! I changed this chapter, so it's not what i expected. I wrote this whole thing in about 2 hours. Enjoy!**

"Itachi and Hidan, will you guys do that somewhere else?"

Kakuzu was in the kitchen, eating a snack and trying to ignore Itachi and Hidan making out on the couch. Hidan glared at the stitched-nin and said, "You can go somewhere else, you know."

"So can you two." Kakuzu replied.

"But what if we don't want to?" Itachi asked.

Kakuzu opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted when Deidara entered the living room, holding another clay bird.

"Itachi and Hidan, cut it out." He said upon seeing Hidan and Itachi on the couch.

"You used to do it with Sasori, hypocrite." Hidan said.

"Yeah, but Sasori never bit me on the neck, hmm." Deidara said.

"You _bit _him, Hidan?" Kakuzu exclaimed, sounding revolted.

"Itachi bit me." Hidan said. "And I started bleeding."

"I don't want to know what you did next, hmm." Deidara squeezed his eyes shut, trying to imagine it.

"I sucked the blood." Itachi said.

"That's gross, Itachi!" Deidara yelled.

"Like you and Sasori never did that." Hidan scowled, getting off of Itachi's chest and walking toward Deidara and Kakuzu in the kitchen.

"I couldn't do it to him since he was a puppet, hmm." Deidara said. "And he never did it to me."

"I find that surprising." Itachi said, joining the others.

"What did you guys do, then?" Kakuzu asked.

"Do you guys really want to know, hmm?" Deidara smiled maliciously.

"Not with that look, I don't." Hidan said, playing with his necklace.

"Hidan, your neck is still bleeding." Kakuzu told the Jashinist.

"Is it?" Hidan rolled his eyes. "I'll let it bleed, then."

"Don't even think about it, Itachi." Deidara said quickly.

"Think about what?"

Tobi entered the room. Walking over to the group, he asked, "Hidan-san, why is your neck bleeding?"

"Don't ask." Deidara said, cutting Hidan off, who had opened his mouth to answer Tobi.

"You don't want to know, Tobi." The stitched-nin told

"What is it?" Tobi felt like he was missing something.

"It's not something you'd imagine Itachi doing, hmm." Deidara said, stroking his clay bird.

"Deidara, what are you going to do with that thing?" the Uchiha asked.

"Explode it, hmm." Deidara grinned.

"Not in here, you're not." Hidan said quickly.

"Leader-sama would kill me." Deidara said.

"Probably." Kakuzu agreed. "When are Kisame and Zetsu getting back?"

"Not for a while probably." Hidan said, resting his head on the table.

"So I'm stuck here doing nothing?" Itachi wasn't at all pleased. "How boring!"

"You could use the time off, Itachi." Kakuzu said. "I don't want to have you as a patient again."

"We'd have no member with a Sharingan." Deidara added. "That would be trouble."

"You guys are lucky that I'm here." Kakuzu leaned back casually in his chair. "Deidara would still be missing his arms and Hidan would still have no head."

"I'd have a head." Hidan corrected the stitched-nin. "I wouldn't be able to do anything."  
"Hidan-san lost his head?" Tobi asked Deidara.

"You don't remember that?" Deidara frowned.

"Oh yeah!" Tobi exclaimed.

"It was when Kakuzu and I were fighting those fuckers from Konoha." Hidan said.

"Language, Hidan." Itachi said.

"You never cared before!" Hidan exclaimed. "And you're one to talk."

"Itachi doesn't curse nearly as much as you do, hmm." Deidara said, hands in their clay pouches.

"What are we going to do today?" Tobi asked.

"The day's half over, Tobi." The Uchiha said.

"Really?"

"You don't remember eating lunch?" Kakuzu raised his eyebrows.

"I'd never forget it." Hidan stuck out his tongue in disgust. "If I'd have Leader's ramen, I'd have thrown up."

"Any normal person would have thrown up." Deidara agreed.

"I'll play Shougi with someone." Itachi said.

"You cheat!" Deidara yelped.

"Do not." Itachi glared at the bomb expert with Sharingan eyes.

"Yes you do!" Deidara protested.

"How about we have a challenge or something?" Tobi suggested.

"Tobi, we're the only ones here right now." Kakuzu pointed out. "Leader and Konan won't be back for a while."

"We don't need many people." Tobi said.

"What kind of challenge are you thinking of, Tobi, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Let's make Hidan go a week without cursing." Kakuzu smiled.

"Oh, hell no!" Hidan yelled. "That's impossible!"

"That _is _impossible." Itachi nodded.

"Besides, he could start cursing when there's no one around." Tobi pointed out.

"Then Itachi will have to stay with him all the time." Kakuzu said.

"No way." Itachi crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I wouldn't mind that." Hidan grinned.

"Cut it out, Hidan." Deidara rolled his eyes toward the ceiling.

"That would be annoying, Kakuzu-san." Tobi said.

"And Itachi might lie and say he didn't curse." Deidara said.

"I would not." Itachi glared at Deidara.

"You probably would, Itachi." Kakuzu smiled.

"So that's out of the question." Tobi sighed. "Any others?"

"Let's make Deidara go without his eyepiece for a week." Hidan said.

"Why bother making it if I'm not going to wear it?" Deidara questioned. "And I'm not going without it while Itachi's around."

"I'm not that bad." The Uchiha shot back at the bomb expert.

"I still don't trust you." Deidara said.

"Back on topic…" Kakuzu said in an attempt to get the topic changed, "What are we going to do today?"

"I have no idea." Itachi said. "Let's see how long Hidan can go without cursing."

"I thought we decided against that?" Hidan raised his eyebrows.

"But we need something to do, hmm." Deidara said, making a small praying mantis with his clay and setting it on the table.

"What will we do if he curses?" Tobi asked the stitched-nin. "He's nearly immortal."

"Tell him that he can't pray or make sacrifices." Kakuzu said calmly.

"You wouldn't!" Hidan looked genuinely terrified.

"You know I would." Kakuzu nodded.

Hidan scowled, but said, "I guess I have no choice. Man, this is going to kill me." He leaned back in his chair and asked, "How long will this go on?"

"Eh…until tomorrow." Itachi said.

"I'll never make it."

"Sure you will." Deidara said.

"Oh, and Dei? You have to take out your eyescope." Itachi told the blonde.

"Why do I have to do this too, hmm?" Deidara questioned.

"Because we'd like to see you without your mechanical eye." Tobi said.

"I won't attack you, I promise." Itachi said.

"I still don't trust you." Deidara said flatly.

"You don't need to trust me that well." Itachi said.

"Just take the stupid thing out!" Hidan exclaimed.

"You didn't curse that time, Hidan!" Kakuzu gasped. "It _is _possible!"

"Very funny." Hidan didn't seem to think this was funny at all.

"Take it out, Deidara." The Uchiha persisted.

Deidara glared at Itachi for a moment before pressing his hands to his face and removing the mechanical eye. It took Deidara's left eye a few seconds to focus.

"Don't think about attacking me, Itachi." Deidara hissed.

"I won't." Itachi vowed.

"What about you guys?" Hidan asked Tobi, Kakuzu and Itachi. "What do you guys have to do?"

"I'd like to see Tobi without his mask." Deidara said.

"I can't take it off." Tobi said.

"Why not?" the Jashinist queried.

"Because I look dreadful without it." Tobi said. "That and the fact that it's glued to my face."

"No it's not." Itachi said. "You slip food under your mask so you can eat."

"That's the only part that isn't glued." Tobi explained.

"What about Kakuzu?" Deidara asked, running his finger along the mechanical eye that was resting on the table.

"Let's get you two over with." Kakuzu said, not wanting to do anything.

"You're just stalling!" Hidan protested.

"No, I'm not." Kakuzu said calmly.

"Then what about Itachi?" Deidara asked.

"No Sharingan." Hidan said immediately.

"You shouldn't be using them so much anyway." Kakuzu said sternly.

"I don't care." Itachi sighed.

"You don't care if you die from that Sharingan?" Hidan raised his eyebrows. "I thought you wanted to fight that brother of yours. How can you do that if you're dead?"

"I'll stay alive until I kill him." The Uchiha shrugged. "Or he kills me. Whichever comes first."

"We should try to get him to join us." Tobi said.

"One Uchiha is more than enough, Tobi, hmm." Deidara said. "I don't think I could handle more than one person with the Sharingan."

**I love the idea of Itachi bitting Hidan on the neck and sucking his blood. :: review, please!**

**Next chapter: will deidara tell Tobi about Sasori?**


	8. Betwixt and Between

**I don't think Akatsuki would let me own them. What do you think? Yes? No?**

**It's Mika-chan! Sorry for the long wait! I was working on KH fanfics. I'm planning on starting a Final Fantasy VII TifaXCloud pairing fic pretty soon. I'm getting info FF. It's awesome! anyway, rantings aside...let the deadly tale continue!**

"Tobi! Deidara! Get your asses out here!"

Deidara was in his room, trying to take a nap when Hidan's yells could be heard. It didn't sound like Hidan was angry, but with Hidan, one could never tell. Sighing, Deidara got out of bed, yawned, and walked out of his room. He joined Hidan and Kakuzu in the living room and said, "What's going on?"

"Leader just came and said that we have to go on a mission." The Jashinist said, looking very annoyed.

"Why are you telling me, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Because you and Tobi have to go with us." Kakuzu clarified.

"Why?" Deidara asked, shifting his blonde hair out of his good eye.

"How the fuck would I know?" Hidan said, gladly cursing now that he was able to.

"When did you see Leader-sama?" Deidara asked.

"I just said he came back, didn't I?" Hidan rolled his amethyst eyes to the ceiling. "But he left with Konan."

"There's something going on with the two of them." Kakuzu noted.

"No shit?" The Jashinist didn't seem at all surprised.

"So what are we doing?" Deidara wanted to know.

"We have to find scrolls in Suna." Kakuzu said, glaring at his partner.

"What kind of scrolls, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"One set is on a curse mark." Kakuzu replied. "The other is on how to restore someone's life."

"But that's impossible." Deidara said. "If no one's been able to find out how to bring someone back from the dead by now, it must be impossible."

"Hey, Leader-sama told us to find the scrolls, so that's what we're doing." Kakuzu shrugged.

"Where is Tobi?" a very annoyed Hidan said. "We need to get going."

"I'm here, Hidan-san."

Tobi came bounding into the room. Hidan rolled his eyes at Tobi's unending energy.

"What are we doing, Senpai?" Tobi asked the blonde.

"We have to go to Suna with Hidan and Kakuzu, hmm." Deidara said.

"Why?" Tobi asked.

"Scroll retrieval." Hidan said. He grabbed his scythe and said, "Let's get going."

"Come on, Tobi." Deidara grabbed Tobi by the arm and led him out of the hideout behind Hidan and Kakuzu. "You know how Hidan gets when he's mad, hmm."

* * *

"How much longer until we get to Suna?"

Night had fallen and the ninja from Akatsuki were taking a break. Hidan was lying on the ground, hands behind his head, staring at the starless sky. The others were a few feet away from him, talking amongst themselves.

"Not much longer." Kakuzu said. "I don't know why you're over there, Hidan. The rest of us are over here."

"You think I don't know that?" the Jashinist yelled over to the others.

"Hidan, you didn't pray today, did you?" Deidara assumed.

"Why do you say that?" Tobi asked.

"Whenever Hidan hasn't prayed," Kakuzu explained, "he gets really crabby."

"I've never noticed that." Tobi said, more to himself than anyone present.

"He doesn't go without praying very often, hmm." Deidara said, taking his blonde hair out of its usual ponytail.

"I don't get crabby." Hidan protested.

"Yes you do." Kakuzu said. "I'm your partner and have to deal with you more than anyone else."

"So?"

"So…" Kakuzu rolled his eyes. "I've seen you annoyed more than anyone else has."

"And I don't get crabby." Hidan said.

"Whatever you say." Kakuzu said sarcastically.

Hidan dropped the conversation and turned his attention back to the sky.

"Kakuzu, do you remember the time I had to come back to Suna with Danna, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"You guys came back a few times." Kakuzu said. "Which time are you talking about?"

"The time that we had to spy on the Kazekage for a while." Deidara said.

"When you accidentally set the office building on fire?" Kakuzu said, glad that Deidara was talking about Sasori.

Deidara nodded.

"What brought that on?" the stitched-nin wondered.

"I just remembered it, hmm." Deidara said.

"Why?" Hidan asked, turning over on his stomach so he could talk to the group properly.

"I dunno, Hidan." Deidara shrugged, lying down on the ground.

"Seriously, what brought that on?" Hidan asked.

"I guess I just thought of Sasori-Danna when I thought of going to Suna, hmm." Deidara said.

Kakuzu looked at Hidan nervously. Hidan shrugged, which caused Deidara to say, "What?"

"Nothing, Dei." Hidan said.

Deidara looked at Hidan uncertainly for a few seconds, but decided not to say anything. The Jashinist decided that when they got to Suna, they should complete their mission as soon as possible. He didn't want Deidara to start getting depressed because he was thinking about Sasori again.

**Sorry it's so short! the next chapter will have some action. Promise!**

**Next chapter: Suna riot!**


	9. Twilight's View

**Disclaimer: I don't own Akatsuki. Really, what would I do with them if I did?**

**It's Mika-chan! This was an interesting chapter to write. Of course, Hidan, Kakuz, Tobi and Deidara would never go on a mission together. But they will in my story! Let the deadly tale continue!**

The Akatsuki pairs were in front of the border into Suna, trying to decide on how to carry out the mission. Hidan, of course, wanted to start a riot. Deidara would be doing what he usually did: drop bombs on Suna from above.

"If Deidara can drop bombs on the city, why can't I start a riot?" the Jashinist was protesting.

"We didn't say you couldn't start a riot." Tobi said. "Deidara-senpai usually starts riots, so you can join in the fun!"

"I'll have to have some rituals, but that's fine." Hidan turned to the blonde and said, "Deidara, we have to raise hell today."

"Why's that?" Deidara asked.

"Because Jashin-sama wouldn't like it if I didn't." Hidan said, looking at Deidara like he was an idiot for not knowing.

"Right." Deidara rolled his good eye to the sky.

"So Kakuzu and Tobi will look for the scrolls while Deidara and I create havoc?" Hidan confirmed.

"That's the plan, hmm." Deidara said.

"Awesome!" Hidan seemed pleased with the idea.

"Wait, Deidara-senpai? How will you be able to know when Hidan's ready?" Tobi asked.

"I'll be able to hear him, hmm." Deidara said. "You can hear Hidan from Konoha."

Hidan glared at the bomb expert, but said, "Just make that bird thing so we can get into the city."

Deidara nodded.

"Tobi, Kakuzu, are you going into the city on foot?" he asked the other two.

"How else are we going to get there?" Kakuzu questioned.

"Well, when I captured the Kazekage, I flew in, hmm." Deidara said, reaching his hands into the clay pouches at his sides.

"But we won't be." Tobi said.

"It would attract too much attention if 4 members of the Akatsuki invaded the city on a clay bird." Kakuzu said. "You and Hidan go on the bird thing. Hidan will have to fight on the ground, but you can get him later."

Deidara nodded. Kakuzu and Tobi went into the city while Deidara worked the clay in the mouths on his palms. Hidan leaned against his scythe and said, "Does it usually take this long?"

"The clay isn't as soft as it usually is, hmm." Deidara said. "Just a few more minutes."

Hidan sighed. Anyone who knew Hidan well knew that he didn't like to wait for most things. Waiting to start a riot was one thing he hated waiting for the most.

"You aren't going to go into that other form of yours, are you?" Deidara asked the Jashinist.

"I might. Depending on how the battle goes." Hidan said. "Why?"

"If I have to look for you, I'll need to know if I'm supposed to look for you in your other form or not." Deidara said.

"You'll be able to find me." Hidan said. "You can find almost anything with that eye of yours."

"I guess so." Deidara said. He finished with the bird and threw it in the air, making a hand sign. The bird grew at an alarming rate to the size it did when Deidara captured the Kazekage.

"Ready, Hidan?"

"I thought you'd never finish." The Jashinist said impatiently.

The two jumped on the bird and flew off into the city. Once they got into Suna, Deidara threw a bomb into a building. The building became a chaotic inferno and coon caused nearby buildings to catch fire.

"Deidara, don't start with the bombs until after I get off!" Hidan yelled. "I don't wanna get killed!"

"You're an immortal, Hidan, hmm." Deidara reminded him.

"When I'm in my other form." Hidan said. "I don't want to find out if I am when I'm not."

"Then I take it you're going to use your other form?" Deidara assumed.

"I guess so." Hidan said. "Wish me luck!"

Hidan jumped off the bird, leaving Deidara to bomb the city from the sky.

* * *

"What colour are the scrolls, Kakuzu-san?"

Tobi and Kakuzu were in the Kazekage's office, searching for the scrolls. Tobi was going through a rather large bookcase of scrolls, trying to find the scrolls they were looking for.

"I don't know, Tobi." Kakuzu said impatiently.

The stitched-nin looked through a desk and found a scroll that read LIFE RESTORATION.

"Found one, Tobi." Kakuzu informed the younger member.

"Which one?"

"The one on life restoration." Kakuzu said.

"So we need the one on the curse mark…" Tobi said to himself.

A few moments later, Kakuzu heard a yell and turned his attention back to Tobi. The newest member had been looking through the mountain of scrolls when the scrolls toppled off the table onto Tobi, knocking him off of his chair.

"You ok, Tobi?" Kakuzu asked.

He heard a faint, "I'm ok…" and returned to his work. It was another few minutes before the stitched-nin heard a triumphant "GOT IT!" Kakuzu turned to Tobi once more to find him holding a bright pink set of scrolls.

"Let's go." Kakuzu said. "Maybe we should try to stay a little longer."

"Why's that, Kakuzu-san?" Tobi asked as the two walked out of the office.

"Hidan hasn't had a chance to start a riot in a while." Kakuzu said. "If we take him away from it now, he'll probably kill us."

* * *

The Akatsuki Jashinist was walking down the streets of Suna, covered in blood, crimson scythe in hand. He decided to try to find Deidara, since he had killed most of the people in the city that he could find. "Jashin-sama can't complain." Hidan said happily.

He turned a street corner to find clay fragments from Deidara's bombs. Deidara would be happy to know that his 'works of art' were creating such chaos. But then again, Deidara didn't think in the same way Hidan did. Deidara just liked watching explosions. When Sasori was still alive, Deidara would force the puppet master to watch his latest explosions. But since Sasori's death, Deidara didn't explode things as much as he used to. Did the explosions remind him of Sasori?

Hidan's amethyst eyes scanned the skies in hopes of finding Deidara's clay bird. Soon enough, he found the Akatsuki bomb expert dropping a series of bombs on a park. Hidan walked a little closer to the park before yelling, "Deidara!"

Hidan knew that Deidara could hear him. The other members of Akatsuki couldn't see how Hidan could yell so loudly, but he did. And, as Deidara so rudely put it, you could hear him miles away. So now the Jashinist had to wait until Deidara found him.

* * *

Deidara was about to send a large C2 filled bomb on a crowd of people when he heard Hidan. "Stupid Jashinist." The blonde complained. "Always ruining my art." But he quickly found the blood-covered Immortal and lowered the bird so he could jump on.

"That didn't take long." Deidara observed, knowing Hidan usually took a long time with his killings.

"I held mass killings." Hidan smiled, trying to get some blood off of his cloak.

"Please tell me you didn't hold people hostage, hmm." Deidara rolled his eye to the darkening sky.

"No, I just used the fucking crowds to my fucking advantage." Hidan said, "Have you found Tobi and my idiot of a partner?"

"I'm looking for them, hmm." Deidara replied.

His silver-grey eye scanned the city, trying to find the stitched-nin and the energetic ninja that was Tobi.

"Don't you think we should check the official building?" the Jashinist asked.

"That would be a good place to start." Deidara said.

The bird flew over to the office building. Tobi and Kakuzu were waiting outside the building, each holding a set of scrolls. As soon as Deidara landed the bird, Tobi jumped on, pulling a very annoyed Kakuzu behind him.

"We got the scrolls, Senpai!" Tobi exclaimed.

"Nice work, Tobi." Deidara smiled. "Let's get going. I'd like to get to the hideout sometime before next week."

After they flew out of the city, the Akatsuki members jumped off of the bird and it vanished.

"How long will it take to get back, Kakuzu-san?" Tobi asked the stitched-nin.

"As long as it fucking took to get there." Hidan said. "Man, I didn't want to get this much blood on my cloak!"

"I don't think we can wash it out, Hidan." Deidara said tentatively.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Hidan looked at the blonde with a look of great annoyance. "We can't bleach the thing?"

"That would make it white." Kakuzu said. "Leader-sama wouldn't like the cloaks to be white."

"Damn!" Hidan yelled. "I don't wanna make a new one!"

"You don't have an extra?" Tobi asked.

"This _is _my extra." Hidan said, still pissed off. "Dammit. I didn't think I'd get this much fucking blood on it."

"It might come out, but I have a feeling it won't." Kakuzu told his partner.

"It'd better work." Hidan said. "I'll wash it 50 times if I have to."

"If you need to wash it that many times, it's probably not going to come out, hmm." Deidara observed.

"I know that." Hidan said.

"Who is going to give the report to Leader?" the stitched-nin wanted to know.

"I guess Tobi and I can do it." Deidara said. He faced his orange-masked partner and asked, "Is that ok, Tobi?"

"It's fine by me." Tobi said. "As long as I don't have to talk to Zetsu."

"Why don't you like talking to Zetsu?" Kakuzu frowned.

"Because he has 2 different sides that talk." Hidan informed his partner, swinging his scythe around him.

"Hidan, how many times have I told you not to swing that thing?" Kakuzu asked the Jashinist.

"Numerous." Hidan replied, amethyst eyes following the blades as they sliced through air.

"So what does that tell you?" Kakuzu said with the air that he was conversing with a small child.

"That Hidan doesn't listen, hmm." Deidara said, smiling at Tobi.

"I do too listen, Deidara." Hidan said.

"You're not listening now." Kakuzu said.

"What a surprise." Hidan rolled his eyes to the sky. "I never listen to you."

"That explains a lot." Deidara said.

"Did anyone happen to see what time it was before we left?" Tobi asked the group at large.

"Why?" the Jashinist asked.

"Because I want to know if I'm missing my TV show." Tobi said. "I told Itachi-san to tape it, and I told Kisame-san in case Itachi-san forgot."

"Itachi's too lazy to tape things." Hidan said.

"What show is it, Tobi?" Deidara asked.

"I'm not telling!" Tobi exclaimed happily.

"As long as it isn't some kid show, I don't give a fuck." Hidan said.

"It's a kid show." Tobi said.

Hidan stared at Tobi in amazement for a few seconds and said, "Why are you still watching kid shows?"

"Because they're fun!" Tobi exclaimed, jumping up and down as he walked.

"What show is it, Tobi, hmm?" Deidara asked, bracing himself for the worst.

"I wanted to watch the new Dora the Explorer, but I told Itachi-san to tape Sesame Street." Tobi said.

"Sesame Street?" Hidan yelled, "Tobi, have you fucking lost your fucking mind?"

"No, I haven't." Tobi said, looking at the rather shocked Jashinist in a confused manner.

"You know what?" Deidara said. "I don't wanna know."

"I'm not sure I do, either." Kakuzu said.  
They continued walking while Hidan and Tobi started wrestling about Tobi's TV choices.

**Yeah...review please!**

**next chapter: will Hidan get the blood washed out of his cloak or will he be forced to make a new one?**


	10. Ruin and Creation's Passage

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the Akatsuki. **

**It's Mika-chan! Sorry this is a short chapter. i didn't feel like writing much today. I think the next chapter will be the last. It's sad, i know. but i don't have any more ideas for this. Let the deadly tale continue!**

When the group got back to the hideout, they found Kisame playing _Kingdom Hearts 2 _on the PlayStation.

"How'd the mission go?"

"We got the scrolls." Deidara said in a bored voice.

"And my cloak's ruined." Hidan growled, still fuming.

"What happened to it?" Kisame asked.

"He got too much blood on it." Tobi said.

Hidan took of his cloak and threw it in the washing machine.

"Hidan, I seriously doubt that's going to work." Kakuzu said, sitting on the floor against the couch, checkbook in hand.

"It had better work." The Jashinist said, sitting down on the couch, watching the TV screen. "Where's Itachi?"

"In the shower." Kisame said. "He should be out soon."

"He'd better." Hidan said.

"I trust that he hasn't been using the Sharingan while we were gone?" Kakuzu raised his eyebrows.

"I don't think he has." Kisame said.

"That's good." Kakuzu said. "He uses the eyes too much."

"But he won't admit it, hmm." Deidara said, joining everyone else in the living room with a bottle of green tea.

"Where is everyone else?" Tobi asked.

"Zetsu went out to spy on the Sound Village again." Kisame said, turning off the PlayStation and loading _Final Fantasy VII_. "Leader and Konan came back yesterday, but left again for the Leaf Village."

"Have you noticed something weird about those two lately?" Deidara asked.

"What about them?" Hidan asked, twisting the chain of his necklace around his right index finger.

"I think they're going out again, hmm." Deidara said.

"How do you figure?" Kisame asked.

"Well, they're acting like they did before they started going out for the first time, remember?" Deidara said, taking a sip of tea.

"I think Dei has a point." Hidan said.

"But of course we can't ask them." Kakuzu said, eyes on his checkbook.

"But can't we ask Konan-san?" Tobi asked, leaning against the couch above Hidan's head.

"We could probably ask Konan." Deidara said. "I don't think she'd yell at us, hmm."

"If they are going out, then they'll tell us." Kakuzu said.

A door opened and Itachi walked into the room, wet black hair tied back in a ponytail.

"When did you guys get back?" the Uchiha asked as he sat down on the couch next to Hidan.

"Just a few minutes ago." Tobi said.

"And where is your cloak, Hidan?" Itachi asked Hidan, who was only wearing a pair of pants, since he didn't usually wear a T-shirt under his cloak.

"I got too much blood on it and the blood might not come out." Hidan scowled.

"He's been annoyed for days, hmm." Deidara said.

"It might come out, Hidan." Itachi said.

"I wouldn't count on it, though." Kisame said.

"You're really encouraging, you know?" Deidara said.

"Yep." Kisame grinned.

"So what are we going to do now?" Tobi asked.

"I was going to create works of art, hmm." Deidara said. "Wanna come along, Tobi?"

"Sure!" Tobi said enthusiastically.

The two walked outside, leaving the rest in the living room.

"Does anyone know if Deidara's talked about Sasori yet?" Kakuzu asked.

"I don't think he has." Kisame said. "Why?"

"It would do him some good to talk about Sasori." Hidan said, resting his head against Itachi's shoulder.

"But we can't have Tobi talk to him about him." Kisame said. "Tobi never knew Sasori."

"He never knew how much Sasori meant to Deidara." Kakuzu nodded, punching some numbers into a calculator.

"It should be one of us." Hidan said. "But not Itachi."

"I have no intention of talking to Deidara about Sasori." Itachi crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"I still think it should be Hidan." Kakuzu said.

"Why the fuck me?" Hidan protested.

"You get along fairly well with him." Kisame said.

"Not as well as Sasori." Hidan said, twisting the chain of his necklace on his finger.

"But Sasori isn't here, now is he?" Kisame was focused on the screen. "God dammit!"

"What, Kisame?" Itachi asked his partner.

"Reno beat me again!"

"He was easy!" Hidan said. "I fried that fucker!"

"I did too!" Kisame said. "They're always harder the second time."

"You still haven't beaten it the first time, have you?" Kakuzu frowned at the numbers in his checkbook.

"Aeris just died and I have to go to the Glacier." Kisame said.

"That was sad when Aeris died." Itachi said.

"How was it sad?" Hidan asked. "I thought she was annoying."

The Uchiha shook his head.

"You just don't get it, do you Hidan?"

"Evidentially not." Hidan said.

"So who is going to talk to Dei?" Kakuzu asked.

"I don't want to do it." Hidan said.

"I'll do it if no one else will." Kisame said, still annoyed over his game. "I get along pretty well with Deidara."

At that moment, Deidara and Tobi walked back inside.

"That was short." Itachi observed.

"It got dark." Tobi said sadly.

"So?" Kakuzu questioned.

"I need to make sure I don't blow anything important up, Kakuzu, hmm." Deidara said.

"That's important, yes." Kakuzu said.

Tobi walked into his room and started to read his book: _What to do when you know the end is coming_. It was a very dreary book, but Hidan told him that it was good. As he read, he thought about Deidara's partner. Why did Deidara get so sad whenever he was mentioned? Tobi resolved to ask Deidara what happened to his partner.

**Next chapter: Does Tobi talk to Deidara?**


	11. Memory's Skyscraper

**Disclaimer: I don't own Akatsuki or Naruto. **

**It's Mika-chan! LAST CHAPTER!! Deidara's sorta OOC in this chapter. it makes me sad that this is all over. my thanks to all who reviewed. i love getting reviews, as any writer does. i'm working on another SasoDei, so you can check that out if you want to. Anyway, the deadly tale...concluded!**

When Deidara woke up the next morning, he heard Kisame yelling at something. He was probably playing Final Fantasy VII again. Rolling his eyes, the blonde got out of bed, dressed, and walked out to the living room. Sure enough, Kisame was sitting in front of the playstation playing Final Fantasy VII. Hidan was sitting on the couch, attempting to read a magazine.

"Still trying to beat Reno?" Deidara asked, sitting down next to Hidan.

"I'm trying to beat this boss." Kisame said. "I'm at the Temple of the Ancients."

"Whatever you say, Kisame." The Jashinist said.

"Your cloak isn't fixed, huh?" Deidara assumed, since Hidan wasn't wearing the usual Akatsuki cloak.

"Kakuzu's making me a new one." Hidan said. "I really should keep a spare…"

"That would be wise, hmm." Deidara said. He looked at the coffee table and saw a book: _Memoirs of a Geisha. _"Hidan, tell me you aren't reading this?" he asked the Jashinist, holding up the book.

"That's Konan's, idiot." Hidan rolled his amethyst eyes to the ceiling. "She was reading it before she left."

"I wouldn't want to read that kind of stuff." Deidara said. "Too boring."

"I can't see you reading anything, Dei." Kisame said.

"Are you calling me illiterate?" Deidara asked.

"You just don't seem like the type of person who reads a lot." Hidan explained, turning the page of his magazine.

"I like to read war stuff, hmm." Deidara said.

"That's fun." Hidan grinned.

"You know we don't like that look, Hidan." Kisame said, giving up the game altogether and turning the PS2 off.

"I don't care." Hidan said.

"Kisame, is my idiot of a partner up yet?" Deidara asked as he walked to the kitchen to get some green tea.

"He was here a while ago, but went back to his room when Hidan told him that you were asleep." Kisame said.

"Lovely." Deidara grabbed some tea from the fridge and twisted off the cap.

"So what are we going to get into today?" Kisame asked. "Don't you dare say sacrifices." He added, looking at a certain Jashinist.

"I wasn't going to say anything." Hidan said.

"DDR?" Deidara offered. "The one game Itachi can't cheat at."

"He can cheat at anything if he really wants to." Kisame said. "He just doesn't bother with it most of the time."

"Kakuzu is making me my cloak today, so do something 4 player." Hidan said, setting his magazine down on the coffee table.

"You aren't going to play?" Deidara asked.

"I have better things to do with my time." Hidan said, walking to his room, closing the door behind him.

"That got _him_ out of the way." Kisame said.

"It'll be quieter now, hmm." Deidara smiled.

"You make enough noise for Hidan." Kisame said. "Trust me on that one."

"I do not!" Deidara protested.

"What are you arguing about, Kisame?"

Itachi walked out of his room, looking slightly annoyed.

"That Dei can be as loud as Hidan." Kisame told the Uchiha.

"At times." Itachi said. "Hidan doesn't rant for hours about art and Deidara doesn't swear as much."

"I should think not, hmm." Deidara said.

"And Hidan doesn't add hmm to the end of his sentences." Kisame smiled.

"It's a habit!" Deidara yelled.

"Sure it is." Itachi said. He looked at his partner and asked, "Where is Kakuzu?"

"Still asleep probably." Kisame said, turning the PlayStation on again.

"You play too many video games, 'same." Deidara said.

"Not as much as Hidan and Kakuzu." Kisame said, loading his game.

"Well, when they play, they go for days at a time and then stop for months." The Uchiha crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"And the difference is?" Kisame asked his partner.

"You just play all the time without stopping." Deidara informed Kisame.

"You play a fair amount of games, Deidara." Kisame said.

"That was when Danna was still alive, hmm." Deidara said. "I don't really feel like playing them anymore since he's gone."

"Well, you _used _to play a lot of video games." Kisame said.

"I'm gonna go find Hidan." Itachi said. "He spilled blood all over my floor and he needs to clean it up."

"Whose blood is it?" Deidara asked.

"His." Itachi said. "Well, mostly his."

"I don't want to know…" Deidara shook his head.

Itachi went into Hidan's room. A few minutes later, Deidara and Kisame heard Hidan yelling, sounds of an argument, and a few minutes later, the Jashinist and the Uchiha were out in the living room, still arguing.

"Would you mind shutting up?" Kisame rolled his eyes. "Some of us are trying to enjoy the quiet."

"But it's never quiet when Hidan's around." Deidara said. "Kisame, you should know that, hmm."

"You need to get that blood off my floor, Hidan." Itachi said, voice calm, but with the air of a threat.

"It's your room, so you clean it up." Hidan said.

"But it's _your _blood." Itachi said, anger level rising.

"What else was I supposed to do with it?" Hidan yelled.

"You could actually do something without stabbing yourself, for starters." Itachi glared at Hidan with Sharingan eyes.

"But I always stab myself when I'm performing a ritual." Hidan snapped. "You should know that by now, Uchiha."

"Just clean up the blood, Jashinist!" Itachi retorted.

"This could get ugly." Deidara whispered to Kisame.

"Tell me about it." Kisame whispered back.

"It's your room!" Hidan yelled back, "You clean it up!"

"Will _some_one clean up the fucking blood?!" Kisame yelled, starting to get aggravated, "Both of you do it."

Deidara left the cave and went outside, needing to let his headache that was caused from Hidan's yelling to go away. He sat up on the cliff that overlooked the hideout. The blonde thought of the times that he was there with Sasori when he was still alive. Sasori didn't like to go outside very much, but Deidara made him go outside anyway. And once he actually got outside, Sasori ended up having a pretty good time. Permitting that the weather was nice and not snowing or something like that. Deidara was about to get up and walk around when Tobi walked outside.

"What are you doing, Senpai?"

"Just hanging out, Tobi." Deidara said.

"Mind if I join you?" Tobi asked.

"You will anyway, hmm." Deidara rolled his eyes.

Tobi was up on the cliff a few minutes later.

"So what are we doing?"

"Standing." Deidara shrugged. "I don't know."

"Hey, Senpai?" Tobi asked, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Deidara replied. "Provided that this isn't something that Hidan would talk about."

"It isn't." Tobi said.

"Well, what is it, hmm?" Deidara asked, staring at the cerulean sky.

"Well, Itachi-senpai said that you and your former partner were more than partners." Tobi began. "And Hidan-senpai said that you two were really close to each other." He paused for a moment before saying, "I know it's really none of my business, but everyone here says that you aren't usually this depressed. And I think it might be because of your partner."

Deidara had been expecting Tobi to ask this. It was only natural for Tobi to be curious about Sasori. He didn't really want to tell Tobi about his relationship with Sasori, but how else would he understand?

"Did they tell you who my former partner was, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Hidan said that his name was Sasori." Tobi nodded.

"He was from the Sand Village." Deidara said. "He was a puppet master. And a pain in the ass for a partner."

"So you didn't like him?" Tobi was confused.

"Oh, I liked him." Deidara said. "We used to argue all the time. Danna would yell at me for creating works of art in the middle of the night." He looked down at the river and said, "We were sent to Suna for scroll retrieval, hmm. Somehow, I found myself in love with Danna."

"You were in love with your partner?" Tobi clarified.

Deidara nodded.

"So I told him how I felt, hmm. Turns out that he felt the same way about me. That's when Danna told me that he was a human puppet." He looked at Tobi and asked, "You know what human puppets are, right?"

"Not really." Tobi said.

"Human puppets are puppets, but they have the abilities that they had when they were still alive." Deidara explained. "If I was turned into a human puppet, the puppet would have the ability to create explosions. Itachi's human puppet would be able to use the Sharingan and the attacks that go along with it, hmm."

"So Sasori was a human puppet?" Tobi wondered.

Deidara nodded.

"I didn't know what to think, at first. I mean, it's not very often that you fall in love with a puppet, hmm. But Sasori wouldn't let that stop him."

"Why did he turn himself into a puppet?" Tobi asked.

"He wanted to become a work of art." Deidara said. "That's what he said anyway. I'm not sure I really understand what he meant."

"So you two started going out?" Tobi assumed.

"No one seemed to believe us." Deidara said, smiling at the memory. "They had to accept it when Konan walked in on us making out in the shower."

Tobi raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything about the matter.

"What happened to Sasori?"

"Danna and I were sent to Suna, Danna's hometown, to kidnap the Kazekage, hmm." Deidara began. "I got the Kazekage and we brought the body back to extract the demon."

"But then a team from Konoha broke into the hideout, hmm. I went to take on the Jinchuuriki, since he was in the group, and Danna was left to fight his grandmother. She was in the group." He told Tobi, who seemed confused.

"The Jinchuuriki got away, so I went back to the hideout. Everyone else was back but Danna. Konan told me that he had died. I didn't want to believe that he was dead, hmm. I mean, there were so many things I had to tell him, so many things we hadn't done yet. Danna was the one person in Akatsuki I ever liked, hmm. I felt like no one else understood me. And then he was gone." Deidara stared at the sky, thinking. "I didn't really like you at first, Tobi. You replaced Danna, and I could never live with that. But I guess I have to accept the fact that Danna's not going to come back."

"But why didn't you talk to anybody?" Tobi asked.

"Because none of them would understand, hmm." Deidara said. "No one else lost their partner like I lost Danna. And no one will ever understand what Sasori no Danna and I had."

After a moment's silence, the blonde said, "I know you had a right to know what happened to Danna, Tobi. I just wasn't ready to talk about him, hmm."

"I hope I didn't force you." Tobi said quickly.

"You didn't, hmm." Deidara said. "I feel a little better now that I've talked about it, hmm."

"You know everyone wanted you to talk about it, Senpai." Tobi said.

"Was I that depressed?" Deidara seemed surprised.

"You had your moments." Tobi said. "Some days you'd be fine. Other days you'd be so depressed you made Hidan worried."

"I find _that _hard to believe." Deidara said. "Doing certain things, hearing certain things, hell, even smelling certain things reminded me of Danna. Whenever I thought about him, I got really depressed, hmm."

"We can not do those things anymore." Tobi offered.

"We wouldn't be allowed to do anything, hmm." Deidara smiled. "Seeing Kisame play Final Fantasy VII reminds me of the time when Danna and I played video games for a whole week. Seeing Kakuzu and Hidan yelling at each other reminds me of the times before Danna and I admitted that we liked each other, hmm." He sighed and said, "But I know I need to move on."

"Well, if you need to talk about it, Senpai, you can always talk to me." Tobi said.

"I think I'm ok now, Tobi." Deidara said. He paused for a moment before saying, "It sounds like Uchiha and Jashin are done arguing."

"But Jashin isn't here." Tobi cocked his head in confusion.

"I meant Hidan." Deidara clarified.

"Oh."

"Let's go see what the hideout looks like, hmm." Deidara said. "We might need to clean up quite a bit."

Jumping off the cliff, Tobi and Deidara made their way across the river and into the hideout. It was as Deidara predicted. Couches were overturned; blood was everywhere including the walls. Glass was shattered on the floor and kitchen implements were scattered around the room. Kakuzu was stitching up Hidan's right arm, which appeared to have been severed at the elbow.

"See what I mean?" Deidara told Tobi.

"You two can help, you know." Kakuzu said.

"What the hell happened, Hidan?" Deidara asked as he and Tobi turned over the couch.

"Uchiha hit me." Hidan said.

"So all this is the result of Itachi hitting you, hmm?" Deidara didn't believe a word Hidan said.

"And I had to fight back." Hidan said.

"So your arm got sliced off because…?" Tobi asked.

"He grabbed my scythe and swung it at me." Hidan said.

"It seems like we have a lot of work to do." Kakuzu said. "I'd better go patch up ol' Sharingan. Be careful with the arm for a while, ok Hidan?"

The stitched-nin went to Itachi's room, leaving Tobi, Deidara and Hidan alone to clean up the living room. As Tobi was sweeping glass off the floor, he couldn't help but think about what Deidara had said about his partner. That would explain his actions lately. And everyone else had kept it from him because they didn't know when Deidara would want to talk about it. But he really seemed better. He had to be, since he was yelling at Hidan about cleaning up the blood that hat spurted on the walls. Maybe Deidara could get back to normal and learn to move on.

**I know Dei-chan was ooc. but i think i ended it ok. Let me know what you think. thanks for reading!**


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